Well-testing device



May 27, 1930. s, MACKIN 1,750,707 I WELL TESTING DEVICE Filed Feb. '7, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet ATTORNEY A 150mm jyacfiz'w, 54 INVENTOR v A o o oEI 7 May 27, 1930. s. MACKIN WELL TBS-TING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. '7, 1928 2227:; I N vzu roa ATTOR N EY sawmezzrw LLCCI Patented May 27, 1930 PATENT OFFICE smear. MACKIN, or LAREDO, TEXAS WELL-TESTING DEVICE Application filed February 7, 1928. Serial No. 252,577.

a This invention relates to a well testing de- Vice, the general object of the invention being to provide means for testing a well before the casing 'is set, by temporarily closing the lower part of the well from the upper part thereof and providing means for withdrawinglsome of the fluid in the lower part of the we Another object of the invention is to provide improved packing means which are so designed as to engage a large area of the well wall, such means comprising a plurality of rings of resilient material so arranged that each ring can expand without interference on the part of the other rings and thus shape itself to that particular part of the well wall with which it contacts.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for permitting communication between that part of the well above the pack- 7 ing means and that part of the well below the packing means so that pressure above and below the packing means can be equalized and thereby avoid lifting the fluid abovev the packing means when the device is pulled from the well.

A still further object of the invention is to provide latching means for holding the device with the packing means expanded and also to provide valve means to prevent the drilling fluid from passing through the packer.

Other objects are to provide means for preventing the packing means from expanding or setting when the device is being put in place, to provide an adjustable stop to avoid excessive pressure being placed on the packing means when setting the packer and to 'provide means for locking the valve in closed position.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts. to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing my invention in detail. reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Flgure 1 is a longitudinal sectional" view showing the device in use with the valve closed and with the packing means contracted. Y a

Figure -2 is a transverse sectional view showing the valve closed.

Flgure 3 is a similar view showing the valve open. 0

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the mandrel collar and the latch member carried thereby.

Figure '5 is a vertical sectional view through Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view through the valve.

Figure -7 is a vertical sectional view through the grooved collar which is placed above the packin means.

Figure 8 is a p an view of said-collar.

Figure 9 is a view of the valve stem.

Figure 10 is a section on line 10-l0 of Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a perspective view of one end of the latch member.

Figure 12 is a view of the liner.

Figure 13 is a transverse sectional view through the liner.

Figure 14 is a sectional detail view showing the parts with the collar 11 below the openings 17.

In these drawings, the numeral 1 indicates a housing which has a collar 2 screwed to its upper end, this collar being adapted to be engaged by the lower end of a drill stem. A large collar 3 is screwed to the lower end of the housing 1 and this collar 3 has a sliding fit on the mandrel 4, to the upper end of which is screwed a sleeve 5 which is located in the housing 1. A member 6 is threaded to the lower end of the mandrel and the upper end of a strainer 7 is threaded to this member. A plurality of resilient rings 8 encircle the mandrel, the rings being separated by metal rings 9 which are slidably mounted as on the mandrel and these rings 9 are of smaller exterior diameter than are the rings 8 A flanged ring 10 is placed on the upper end of the upper resilient ring 8.

A grooved collar 11 is fastened to the lower end of the collar 3 by the bolts .12, the heads of the bolts occupying holes 13 in the collar 11 so that the collar has sliding movement toward and away from the collar 3. The holes are closed by the'plugs 13. This collar carries a packing ring 14 which has a snug fit with the mandrel and will be tightly pressed against the same when the collars 3 and 11 are moved toward each other. The collar 11 is formed with an internal groove 15 which is in communication with the holes 16 which pass through the collar and when saidcollar 11 is in the position it occupies in Figure 1, its groove 15 will be in communication with the holes 17 formed in the mandrel. This arrangement will place that part of the well below the packing means in communication with that part of the well'above the packing means. The collar 11 is provided with an annular projecting part 18 which bears against the ring 10.

A liner 19 is placed in the housing 1 and is suitably connected therewith, this liner being formed with the two.oppositely arranged openings 20, onewall of each opening being provided with the teeth 21 at its upper portion and notches 22 and 22, formed in the liner, are in communication 'with the lower parts of each opening. A projection 23 extends upwardly into the'front part of each of the notches 22'. As shown, each opening 20 extends through the lower end of the liner to a point adjacent the upper end thereof, as shown at 20', the lower part of the opening being reduced in size, as shown at 20", so that each projection 23 is spacedinwardly beyond the plane of the upper side wall of each opening, as clearly shown in Figure 12. A bar 24 passes through holes in the sleeve 5 and is fastened in place by the set screws 26. The ends of the bar project from the sleeve and are shaped to form pawls 27,- this bar and its pawls acting as latch means for engaging the teeth 21 and the notches to lock the parts in their different positions. v

A valve casing 28 is held in theupper end of the housing by means of the nut 29 pressing the flange of the casing against the liner, the casing being connected with the liner by the dowel 30. This casing is provided with the oppositely arranged ports 31 and has its top closed, with a hole 32 at the center of the top. A cylindrical valve 32 pro= vided with the oppositely arranged ports 33 is rotatably mounted in the casing and a valve stem 34 has its threaded end passing through the hole 32, with a shouder engaging the under face of the top of the casing, a nut 34' bn the threaded end of the stem fastening the stem. to the casing. The stem is provided with a cross piece 35 which engages notches 36 in the lower end of the valve and thus the stem is connected with the valve.

The lower end of the stem passes through a hole 37 in the bar 24.

The upper interior surface of the liner is threaded to receive a nut 38 which acts as an adjustable stop for the sleeve 5 for preventing too much pressure being placed on the resilient rings 8.

When the device is to be used in a well without a swab barrel, the collar 2 is attached to a drill stem and the parts are turned so as to place the ends of the latch bar 24 in notches 22' to lock the parts in position they occupy in Figure 1 so as to prevent the resilient rings being compressed if the device should strike obstructions in the well as it is being pushed down the. well. After the device is properly positioned in the well, the drill stem is turned to the left until the latch bar strikes the projections 23 at the mouths of the notches 22', when the weight of the parts will compress the resilient rings against the walls of the well, thus shutting 011 the lower part of the well from the upper portion thereof. In this position of the parts, the collar 11 will have moved beyond the openings 17, as shown in Figure 14, so that fluid cannot escape through the device above the packing rings. Then the drill stem is rotated further to the left, which will open the valve 32 as the rotary movement of the valve casing with the housing 1 will place its ports in register with the ports of the valve 32 which is held against rotation by the stem 34 which in turn is held against movement by the bar 24. This will permit fluid to pass from the bottom of the well through the parts and the ports of the valve. When the test is finished, the drill stem is turned to the'right while it is being raised,

" which will cause the latch bar to again enter.

the notches 22 and close the valve and thus the fluid in the mandrel and housing will be retained therein, thus enabling the driller to secure a sample of the fluid at the bottom of the well. they will assume the position shown in Figure 1, so that if there is any fluid above the packing rings, it will escape through the holes 16 in the sleeve 11 and into the groove 15 of said sleeve and through the openings 17 and thus return to the bottom of the well so that this fluid will not have to be raised with the device.

When the device is to be used with a swab barrel, the collar 2 is screwed on the lower 'end of the barrel, and the latch bar placed in the notches 22 which prevents the expansion of the resilient rings 8 and also'holds the valve open. Thus as the device is being lowered into a well, the fluid in the well can pass through the parts and thus prevent the fluid from being forced into the sand as the packer is setting. \Vhen the-device strikes the bottom of the well, it is pressed firmly into place by the weight of the parts and then As the parts are being raised,

the drill stem is lifted slightly and turned slightly to'the right to disengage the latch bar from notches 22, thus permitting the weight of the parts to cause the resilient rings 8 to expand against the walls of the well. This movement causes the parts of the liner carrying the teeth 21 to come opposite the ends of the latch bar, so that by turning the drill. stem to cause the ends of the latch bar to engage the teeth 21, the parts are locked -with the rings 8 expanded against the walls of the Well. Then the drill stem is raised and lowered to swab out the well by the swab parts. The fluid swabbed from the well will discharge into the open part of the. well above the tester and is shown as displacement at the surface. WVhen the test is finished, the

drill stem is rotated to the right and so held until the weight is lifted and the resilient rings return to normal position, when the latch bar will enter the notches 22' .which closes the valve and holds the parts with the rings 8 in normal position. The closing of the valve will prevent the drilling fluid from .mixing with the sample in the swab barrel.

' the Walls of the well, and permiteach rubber band to freely expand and conform to the character of the formation, to which each particular section of the packer. is brought incontact, and provide a number of joints or shutotfs, instead of one.

To provide a by-pass or release, to equalize the pressure above and below the packer, be-

fore pulling it from its seat, to avoid lifting.

the extremelyheavy weight of the fluid above the packer which, with other packers, must be done before the packer returns to normal. To provide simple and effective means for latching the packer when set, and unlatching the packer when ready to pull.

To provide an automatic valve or shut-off, to prevent the drilling fluid from passing through the packer and into the test chamber or sample container, after the packer has been lifted from its seat.

To provide means to prevent the packer from expandin or setting, when, on running it inthe hole, 1t encounters tight places or very heavy mudwhich, with most packers, causes the rubber to expand and stick in the hole every time it meets an obstruction. Also, a free flow throughlthe packer is provided when going in and is closed when coming out,

.so as to retain a sample of the fluid.

To provide an adjustable stop to avoid throwing an excessive or unnecessarlly heavy weight on the rubber when setting the packer.

To provide means to lock the valve in closed position so that it can be used'to run in the .well on the drill stem without theswab barrel,- when it is desired to gauge the flow of gas ortest for gas when drilling in known gas territory, or to determine before setting casin whether or not an oil or water well will ow.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of any invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that I may make changes in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I'claim is "1. In a well testing device, a mandrel, a plurality of resilient rings thereon, a housing slidably connected with the upper end of the mandrel, a member on the lower end of the mandrel engaged by the lower ring so that the pressure of the parts above the man-. drel will compress the rings, latch means for locking the parts withthe rings in normal position and in expanded position, such latch means consisting of a latch bar on the upper end of the mandrel and a part in the housing having rack teeth thereon for engaging the latch bar for holding the parts in a position with the rings expanded and said part in the housing also having notches therein for receiving the bar for holding the parts with the rings in normal position.

' 2. In a well testing device, a mandrel, a plurality of resilient rings thereon, a housing slidably connected with the upper end of the mandrel, a member on the lower end of the mandrel engaged by the lower ring so that the pressure of the parts above the mandrel will compress the rings, latch means for locking the parts with the rings in normal position and in expanded position, such latch means consisting of a latch bar on the upper end of the mandrel and a part in the housing havi rack teeth thereon for engaging the latch ar for holding the parts in a position with the rings expanded and said part in the housing also having notches therein for receiving the bar for holding the parts with the rings in normal position, a Valve in the upper-end of the housing and means for opening the valve when the latch means are ina position with the rings in normal position and for closing the valve when the parts are in a position with the rings expanded.

3. In a well testin device, a mandrel, a plurality of resilient rings thereon, a housing slidably'connected with the upper end of the mandrel, a member on the lower end'of the mandrel engaged by the lower ring sothatthe pressure of the parts above the mandrel will compress the rings latch means for locking the parts with the-r'mgs in normal upper end of the housing, means for opening the valve when the latch means are 1n a position with the rings in normal position and for closing the valve when the parts are in a position with the rings expanded, such means comprising a valve stem connected with a part of the valve and with a part of the latch means.

4.1m a well testing device, a mandrel, a plurality of resilient rings thereon, a member at the lower end of the mandrel engaging the lowermost ring, a housing slidably connected with the upper end of the mandrel, means for placing the interior of the mandrel in communication with the well above the rings when the housing is in its raised posiplurality of resilient rings thereon, a member fastened to the lower end of the mandrel and contacting with the lower resilient ring, a sleeve connected with the upper end of the mandrel, a latch bar carried by the sleeve, a housing encircling the sleeve, a collar fastened to the lower end of the housing and slidably mounted on the mandrel below the sleeve, a second collar movably. connected with the first collar, a ring of resilient material carried by the second collar and engaging the mandrel and the first collar, said second collar having an internal groove and the mandrel having holes therein for communicating with the groove when the parts are in a position with the resilient rings in normal position, said second collar having a transverse hole therein communicating with the groove, a liner in the housing having longitudinally extending openings therein, teeth formed in the opposite walls of the openings at the upper portion of the liner and notches'formed in the liner at opposite sides thereof and at the lower portion thereof. said teeth and notches being adapted to be engaged by the latch bar for locking the parts with the resilient rings in normal position and said rings in expanded position, a

valve casing at the upper end ofthe housing having ports therein, a cylindrical valve in the casing having ports therein, a valve stem supported by the casing, and connected with the valve, the lower end of the stem passing through a hole in the latch bar and an adjustable nut in the .liner for limiting the movement of the parts to prevent undue pressure being applied to the resilient rings, In testimony whereof I afiix my si nature.

' SAMUEL MA KIN. 

